Camping

[David Drummond]

That might be true in some places Truman, it is however not true for Texas.
Here is the whole statute if you want to read it: http://law.onecle.com/texas/penal/30.05.00.html

Relevant parts include:

(a) A person commits an offense if he enters or remains on or in property, including an aircraft or other vehicle, of another without effective consent or he enters or remains in a building of another without effective consent and he:

(1) had notice that the entry was forbidden; or (2) received notice to depart but failed to do so. (b) For purposes of this section: (1) "Entry" means the intrusion of the entire body. (2) "Notice" means:

<clip>

(E) the visible presence on the property of a crop grown for human consumption that is under cultivation, in the process of being harvested, or marketable if harvested at the time of entry.

There is other stuff later on about "critical infrastructure that includes the oil and gas industry.

Of course, you should do what you feel is right.


</clip>

 

[Matt Tottle]

With the widespread theft of oilfield and farm equipment going on by thieves swiping any sort of metal they can recycle, I really wouldn't suggest that in this decade Tim. I know it would work years ago, but these days, you'll be lucky if it only lands you a criminal trespassing charge, and if your unlucky, you'll be on the news the next day because some owner mistook you for one of the metal thieves and shot you dead.

They are stealing everything from equipment to irrigation pipes, right down to the copper wirelines servicing wells.

Times are different now.

You're not kidding. There was a story on the news not too long ago that a couple fields around here got hit for their pumpjack engines.. They weigh about 1,500 lbs apiece and require special equipment, so you know it wasn't some random grab - it was an organized effort that took some amount of casing the properties. I wouldn't park anywhere near an oil or irrigated property just to avoid looking suspicious.

 

[David Drummond]

The new thing is they are putting streaming cameras up on this stuff, that work much like we do out chase streaming, using cell data cards. It's a budding business for oilfield sites and construction sites because the thefts are getting so bad. I can see some farmers doing this, especially if they have been hit more than once. If you have a well marked chase vehicle, you're not likely to be confronted, other than someone wanting to know about the weather. On the other hand, if your in an unmarked vehicle with out of state plates, you're going to look pretty suspicious lurking around out in the middle of nowhere overnight for a sleepover. While getting shot might be at the extreme end of the possibilities, getting rudely jousted out of your car while your sleeping by a few over-zealous sheriff's deputies that have the attitude "your not from around here, are ya boy?" at the very least will ruin any sleep you thought you were going to get. Then again, so can sleeping in the walmart parking lot and someone tapping on your window just to ask if you're a storm chaser.

 

[Matt Tottle]

WALMART parking lots...

I live there when chasing on limited budget.
RV-ing websites maintain lists of Walmarts
with a no-overnight policy.

State Parks for camping on down days.

I recommend Cherry Creek State Park East of Denver.
Last year $14 per night lake, good food, showers...
Stayed for 3 days between setups. Loved it.
WiFi and Picnic tables everywhere.
I sat near the Marina by the lake and ran the laptop all day.
Denver area is a good place to start a chase.

Kansas State Parks
Daily Camping per unit or tent $8.50 + 4.20 per vehicle
El Dorado is nice,
Wilson State Park near Russell has beautiful lake
and nice campsites,
but Russell Inn has $30 rooms....

Mark down the campgrounds on your map.
Don't spend 3-4 days in a hotel when the
weather is too nice for chasing.

The $100+plus dollars you save can take you
500+ miles.

Glen Elder State Park (on Waconda Lake) on Hwy 24 between Osborne and Beloit is also VERY nice. It's $13 for overnight, or if you just need to rest/relax during the day it's $5. They have restrooms and showers (the restrooms were in decent shape when I was there, can't vouch for the showers), RV pads with utilities, grills/picnic tables, and I can vouch that it has Sprint 3G service but no AT&T at all (don't know about Verizon). Not sure if there is a Wifi hotspot.

I also know the Russell Inn was just recently renovated, and they replaced all of the mattresses and did bedbug treatments.

 

[Jake Orosi]

I think that to worry about being shot as as a suspected thief...
...well...
...you should always consider that possibility...
...and it is true that there might be a higher risk these days...

But really, how often does this happen ?

It only has to happen once, if it's me. Honestly, what the fellow might or might not get charged with after he kills me is no comfort or concern of mine; I'll be too busy decomposing to care.

No, possibly getting killed is only one tiny negative tick in a long column of negative ticks. Others include (but are not limited to) no restrooms, showers, or other amenities; limited access to emergency services, the potential that the local lawman doesn't like "my kind", whatever kind that may be on any given day.

Truck stops are free to park at; they're generally secure and there's instant access to all that stuff you may or may not want to use overnight or in the morning - most notably the Interstate, perhaps followed closely by a shower and coffee that's not a day old.

But I suppose it might be too noisy for some. It shouldn't be if you've got a late-model sound-proofed vehicle, but there's a chance.

 

[Matt Tottle]

Maybe it's just my general distrust of people I don't know (growing up in a nice suburb 5 miles from a crime-ridden ghetto will do that to you), but even if it were legal I wouldn't use an interstate ramp (or any frontage/dirt road visible from the interstate) - especially along 40/70/80. There are too many drifters that tend to get dumped off out here, and you might look like an easy target if you're on a little used ramp miles from any town late at night. I'd feel more secure among other vehicles where people are active - or even sleeping for that matter, whether it be a truck stop, parking lot, or campground/RV park. Lock the doors and arm the alarm, and if someone tries to break in at least there's a good chance someone else will be around to hear it.

 

[TrumanBoyer]

I might be dwelling on this too much,
but since the "use of force" and "stand your ground"
issues are all over the news lately, and we are all re-assessing our position on the subject...

I don't want to beat this subject into the ground, but please bear with me...

I have read the trespassing laws (btw, thanks for posting that - everyone can benefit)
and I also looked up the "use of force" laws for TX.

I see nothing there that directly contradicts what I stated earlier,
(In one place - I did use the word "thief" when I meant to use "trespasser)
Maybe I was misunderstood, but what I am trying to communicate is this (From TX law):

If you are merely trespassing (like crossing a marked boundary)
the property owner has the right to use force (not deadly force)
to evict you, but before doing so they must have reason to believe
that there is no other way to get you to leave.

If you are trespassing, and also attempting or commiting a felony,
the property owner has the right to use deadly force, but again
they must have reason to believe that nothing else will work
(to protect life or property)

The difference I see between TX and some other states is that
trespassing in a vehicle makes it criminal trespassing
--I was NOT aware of that-- thanks again.

Also, TX allows use of deadly force to prevent a thief from escaping with the loot (again if there is "no other way"). In many other states this is not allowed, unless there is an imminent threat to life.

Everyone should know this -Crops or plowed fields means that it is MARKED property
This is also the case in other states, but TX is explicit about it.

Also, it is important to remember that this is "the letter of the law". Case law (the way the law is enforced) can be much different. (i.e. what does "reason to believe" mean ?)

I WAS NEVER SUGGESTING THAT IT WAS OK TO TRESPASS.

DO NOT TRESPASS. MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT.
(Stay off my land, too!!)

If you are very tired, and you are on a remote FM road, there is nothing wrong with stopping to rest, but to avoid a hassle, make sure you are not on someone else's property.

There is an increase in farm-related theft in recent years, and property owners and law enforcement have become more diligent.

Always cooperate with law enforcement and property owners. And smile as you do so
... but not too much....

I would also add that in my experience/opinion -

if you are not doing anything wrong, you really have no reason to fear being hassled
by a farmer, or by a "redneck cop who doesn't like your looks".

I have found that people on the Plains and especially the cops, are generally very helpful and friendly folks, and compared to our crime-infested East coast, they are MUCH kinder to strangers, even in this day and age, even to old hippies with scraggly beards and long hair like me.

At least once in their life everyone should experience what is like to wake up at dawn, after a long stormy night, and find themself surrounded by sunflowers as far as the eye can see...

-T

 

[Joshua Nall]

Really enjoyed your post TrumanBoyer. Be smart, but don’t be soooo careful that it keeps you from doing things you want to do… is how I try to approach things. I was under the impression that the grid system roads were state owned land, and as long as you were on the side of the road, you were “safeâ€￾ from being accused of any sort of trespassing. I usually want to drive a ways in the direction I want to be the next day, so its easy to just google a town and Walmart then punch it into my gps. Wish I could do that with back in the middle of nowhere spots.
The scrap metal thieves are a real problem though and there are a lot of them. I had the coil stolen out of my home air conditioner last year. It was in a good neighborhood and I had not had any problems there for 5 years. With copper at 3 dollars a pound, it’s worth the risk I suppose? I don’t see how as I could have come home at anytime, have no set schedule and there is only one way out the drive! I have since moved and am buying 50 acres. Look forward to being back in the boonies all the time soon.

 

[TrumanBoyer]

Thanks, Joshua, and also David Drummond and others.

The metal theft situation is something we should all be acutely aware of.

With possibly 1000+ of us tramping all over the "breadbasket of the world",
we should always remember that the locals are having an especially hard
time in recent years. Lets not make a bad name for ourselves.

"Be smart, but don’t be soooo careful that it keeps you from doing things you want to do"
Well stated, Joshua.

That kind of thinking is central to storm chasing. To many outsiders, what we
do looks kinda stupid, but it is because they don't know what we know. Knowing
what to look out for is half of the game.

It is always better to know something, than to not know it.

Be WISE, not just weather-wise.

Your comment about parking lot camping made me laugh..

"The lights and noise can be a problem, especially if the parking lot cleaner decides to show up at 2 AM,
sounding like a jet engine doing laps around the parking lot."

On my way out west last year I camped at a Walmart near Pittsburgh,
I woke up at 4am, with the damn thing circling my truck, scared the hell
out of me... I pushed in the clutch, and rolled forward 30 ft so she could
clean that one little spot where I was parked. RUDE AWAKENING.

Reminds me of yet another good reason not to camp next to an irrigation pump.
Diesel engines with rotted out baffles that fire up at random times day and night.
Suddenly waking up scared at 4 am only serves to highlight the lack of adequate
restroom facilities....

And suddenly I am just like the irrigation pump....

-T

 

[David Drummond]

In regards to the adequate restroom facilities. I'd suggest if a person has an aversion to peeing or squatting on the side of a remote road to take care of your business, this sort of "camping in your car" in the middle of nowhere just isn't for you. I'd even go so far to say that if you haven't already been keeping an emergency roll of TP in your chase vehicle yet, you probably aren't chasing very long distances. Nature calls and the worst of times, especially with the food chasers tend to eat. LOL

 

[Lee Smith-Whaley]

I'm going to touch on the selected parts due to my own experiences locally in the KC area. Be careful on some of these farm/back country roads. There are some places that show as being a road on google maps or on GPS, however they are not always roads. Sometimes local municipalities, or the state will buy a back road intending to develop it, but due to various reasons they will "sell" or "give it back" to the local farmers, and it then becomes private property. However, it will sometimes still be tagged on maps as a useable road. This got me into trouble one night when I ended up going down a dead end dirt road that turned into slime due to rain. I later found out that, the road didn't even go through like it was supposed to, and ended in a ravine of sorts. Luckily I didn't make it that far, and when I went back to retrieve the hub caps from the truck that got stuck trying to pull me out, the farmer understood when I was talking with him about it. Luckily we didn't cause any damage to his crops. From what he told me, I wasn't the first to fall into the trap, and around some of the bigger towns/cities it's a real issue that is a result of the housing collapse, and the subsequent economy that caused sub divisions to be canceled. Other roads, though somewhat poorly marked as such, are actually private roads, and are not meant for people to be traveling down. The important thing is to use discretion, and as was mentioned, if questioned, be polite, and friendly.

Everyone should know this -Crops or plowed fields means that it is MARKED property
This is also the case in other states, but TX is explicit about it.

I WAS NEVER SUGGESTING THAT IT WAS OK TO TRESPASS.

DO NOT TRESPASS. MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT.
(Stay off my land, too!!)

If you are very tired, and you are on a remote FM road, there is nothing wrong with stopping to rest, but to avoid a hassle, make sure you are not on someone else's property.

Really enjoyed your post TrumanBoyer. Be smart, but don’t be soooo careful that it keeps you from doing things you want to do… is how I try to approach things. I was under the impression that the grid system roads were state owned land, and as long as you were on the side of the road, you were “safeâ€￾ from being accused of any sort of trespassing.

 

[TrumanBoyer]

In regards to the adequate restroom facilities. I'd suggest if a person has an aversion to peeing or squatting on the side of a remote road to take care of your business, this sort of "camping in your car" in the middle of nowhere just isn't for you. I'd even go so far to say that if you haven't already been keeping an emergency roll of TP in your chase vehicle yet, you probably aren't chasing very long distances. Nature calls and the worst of times, especially with the food chasers tend to eat. LOL

Another excellent reminder, Dave. Thanks.

Fellow outdoorsmen -- TAKE NOTE...

The Skeeter-Beater is an awesome 21st century breakthrough.

http://www.theskeeterbeater.com/products.html

But it pales (pails ?) in comparison to the Bumper Dumper.

http://www.bumperdumper.com/

 

[Jake Orosi]

In regards to the adequate restroom facilities. I'd suggest if a person has an aversion to peeing or squatting on the side of a remote road to take care of your business, this sort of "camping in your car" in the middle of nowhere just isn't for you. I'd even go so far to say that if you haven't already been keeping an emergency roll of TP in your chase vehicle yet, you probably aren't chasing very long distances. Nature calls and the worst of times, especially with the food chasers tend to eat. LOL

I definitely have such an aversion. It's just been my often-supported experience that the middle of nowhere tends to end up being a surprisingly popular place when I'm doing something I don't want to be seen doing.

 

[Karen St John]

Fellow outdoorsmen -- TAKE NOTE...


But it pales (pails ?) in comparison to the Bumper Dumper.

http://www.bumperdumper.com/

Which has the added benefit of keeping away tailgaters...

 

[jeremy wilson]

I've invested lots of money in the camping realm thinking I was gonna save tons of money during chase season. I saved a little money but was miserable the whole time. First of all, this usually requires finding a spot at night, in Kansas! Or the Texas panhandle where rattlesnakes carry off small children for breakfast. Not to mention your senses being dulled the next day during the chase because of horrible sleep conditions, mosquitoes, squall lines, varmits or the fear that Bigfoot will come looking for a sandwich at any moment. Unless you have a set-up like Skips,which sounds very cozy,get a cheap motel room with a shower. Or, slam Red Bull and drive it.